FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Sophomore Virunpat Olankitkunchai of the Maryland women's golf team wrapped up the first round in the 2019 NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championships Friday at Blessings Golf Club in Fayetteville, Ark.
 
Olankitkunchai, a native of Bangkok, Thailand, shot an 83 on the par-73 course. She teed off on the 10^th hole and went +2 on her first nine holes. After making the turn, she went +8 on the second nine. Only four players in the 132-player field finished at or under par on one of the toughest courses in the country.
 
Olankitkunchai, who earned All-Big Ten First Team honors, is one of 12 individuals to advance to the NCAA Championships. After inclement weather postponed play Saturday, she will tee off Sunday at 10:50 a.m. ET in the second round, then Monday in the third and final round of stroke play. Live scoring will be available here.
 
All 24 teams and 12 individuals played 18 holes Friday and will play a round Saturday and Sunday. Following 54-holes of competition, the top 15 teams along with the top nine individuals not on an advancing team will advance for one additional day of stroke play Monday to determine the top eight teams for match play competition and the 72-hole stroke-play individual champion.
 
Monday's final round of stroke play will be covered by the Golf Channel. Click here for more on the coverage.
 
Blessings Golf Club is a par-73 course that covers 6,473 yards.
 
Olankitkunchai, a native of Bangkok, Thailand, is the first Terrapin to qualify for the NCAA Championships. She is one of three individuals from the Auburn Regional to qualify for the NCAA Championships. Olankitkunchai, who earned All-Big Ten First Team honors this year, shot a one-over 73 in the third and final round to finish with a score of 213 (70-70-73), which was three under total and tied her for third.
 
The Terrapins went stroke-for-stroke with Tennessee for the final team spot to advance. The Terps made six birdies on the back nine holes, and 10 total, to score a 288 on the day, which was one stroke under par total.
 
The No. 52-ranked Terrapins beat six top 50 teams in No. 22 Furman, No. 27 Clemson, No. 31 Houston, No. 35 Kennesaw State, No. 38 Alabama and No. 46 California.

This marked the fifth all-time trip to regionals for the Terrapins and a first for head coach Diana Cantu.
 
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